MLB 18: The Show Reviews
The online play is clearly where Sony wants people to spend time, but just connecting to the servers proves problematic
"MLB The Show 18" is still a great game for those passionate about baseball, but the consistency the series has displayed over the past decade has been at least somewhat broken with this new edition. For many, the fantastic gameplay will offset the loss of modes, the lack of advancement in others, and the lingering server struggles. Ultimately, though, it's becoming more clear now than ever that the series is begining to have trouble meeting the heightened expectations now present within the genre.
MLB The Show 18 takes the good parts from last year's game, but doesn't build on the series much.
Overall, MLB The Show 18 isn't exactly a homerun, but it's definitely a double.
Despite some missteps, MLB The Show 18 remains the best baseball game on the market.
I don't think MLB The Show 18 is as good as last year's game, but the improvements over the last two years are solid enough to carry the franchise momentum forward. Hopefully, next year's version will get back to the winning ways and bring more substantial changes.
Road to the Show remains the soul of The Show 18 to me, with everything else feeling like a fun distraction, like getting to step into the shoes of baseball's past greats or the tasting the 8-bit flavor of retro mode. As I progress more into my player's career, there's this unshakable knowledge that he's never going to be better at some things than he is now. He will be in a box — an enjoyable one, but a box nonetheless.
MLB The Show 18 brings everything a baseball fan could want and more to the plate with its diverse mode selection and deep customization options.
PlayStation 4 is the only place to get the best and most authentic baseball experience there is.
Tons of content, extremely pleasant gameplay and homage to baseball history. It's a shame that the quality is not accompanied by fresh ideas to justify buying this year's entry.
Review in Polish | Read full review
MLB: The Show 18 is an incredible game with as much depth as you are willing to handle. It has incredibly intuitive and nuanced controls, entertaining commentary and a swathe of freedom that allows you to traverse the immense depth of the game as you feel comfortable doing. This is a game you can enjoy whether you're a hardcore baseball fan or someone looking for something new in the sporting genre that isn't FIFA 2018.
It's really too bad that MLB The Show 18 launched in its current state. Nearly everything about the game, from how it handles difficulty to making sure every part of baseball feels dynamic, is handled brilliantly and is the result of years of hard work coming together. That amount of polish makes it all the more jarring that Sony has failed to get the online working right after so many iterations of this yearly series. It very well might be the best baseball game ever made, but it has to come with a huge asterisk at the moment.
This 2018 episode is still an excellent baseball game, but it doesn't change al lot compared to last year's edition... MLB The Show series would definitely need a serious competitor to surpass itself.
Review in French | Read full review
Some fans may feel aggrieved at the removal of certain modes. Season mode is now completely absent, meaning you'll have to battle through the entire 162 games if you want to complete a year in Franchise Mode, and some of the creation options have been stripped out of the game entirely.
MLB The Show as a franchise could easily let itself crumble due to the non-existent competition, but it hasn't and it's continuing to chug along. The improvements this year are great, but depending on your tastes may not be applicable.
MLB The Show 18 remains one of the most beautiful and polished sports sims around.
Baseball is not a sport that we here in South Africa know a lot about, but the MLB series does a very good job at showing us what all the fuss is about.
MLB The Show 18 offers a ton of options for new players to craft their own experiences while still giving veteran players the level of depth they'd expect from the latest entry in a series that's been totally refined over the years. Some of its modes might seem a little dated, and only time will tell if MLB The Show 19 can finally be the game that makes Franchise mode a little more exciting to manage, but Road to the Show's new RPG mechanics and The Show 18‘s overall great gameplay will give players new and old plenty to enjoy.
It's hard to improve a game which is already the best in its own genre, but SIE San Diego Studio achieved a good result with a few, but meaningful, changes. MLB The Show 18 offers an even more solid and consistent experience than its predecessor, although the devs cut off a couple of game modes. The new most important core element is the brand new progression system in the Road to the Show career, which offers the chance to live the tough dream of a mid- to late-round draft pick prospect.
Review in Italian | Read full review
MLB The Show 18 touches up some places and refines others. Despite missing online franchise, The Show 18 slings a complete game, even if it has a couple of problems on base.